From Farm to Feed:

Texas Approves Hempseed Oil and Meal for Horses and Chickens, Unlocking New Markets for Hemp Growers

BY CLAY MOORE

Hemp has been making headlines recently for its numerous health benefits, but did you know it can also be used as feed for horses and chickens? Texas has recently approved hempseed oil and hempseed meal as feed for these animals, making it the third state to do so. This new market segment is expected to be highly lucrative for hemp growers, processors, distributors, and retail channels.

Hempseed feed is beneficial for animal health, providing a naturally available plant-based protein that includes all 20 amino acids, plus Omega 3, 6, 9, and GLA fatty acids. The benefits of hempseed feed have been demonstrated in research trials with rabbits, horses, chickens, rough stock bucking bulls at Tarleton State University, and swine trials at Texas A&M University. This historic decision in Texas will help unlock many large markets, paving the way for wider use of hempseed feeds in the US and throughout the world.

It took a wide range of people and companies contributing over the years to make this approval happen. The Colorado certified seed for the trials was donated by International Hemp and was processed by SLV Hemp in Del Norte, Colorado. SLV Hemp has processed approximately 10 tons of finished products for the Texas universities’ trials to date. Former rodeo professional and current Texas Realtor, Mike Smith, generously contributed by making introductions between key researchers and hemp industry resources. To assist in reducing transportation costs and avoid delays, Smith also transported the processed Hemp Feed from Colorado to Texas for the A&M and some of the TSU trials.

The goal of SLV Hemp is to help educate the agriculture industry and expand the availability of hemp feed processing plants for local markets across the country. The benefits of using hemp as feed for horses and chickens are clear, and this historic de- cision in Texas is expected to accelerate the adoption of both these ingredients. Tests to define labeling, stability, and shelf-life of these products are moving forward.

The Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Services (FFCS) of the Office of the Texas State Chemist regulates the manufacture, distribution, and sale of feed ingredients and feed. Texas Commercial Feed Control Act §141.008 authorizes the FFCS to approve new ingredient definitions for hemp in commercial feed: Hempseed Meal and Hempseed Oil, Mechanically Extracted, are new ingredients for use as a source of nutrients in the diets of foal, mare, breeding and maintenance horses and for broiler, layer and breeder chickens.

As the benefits of hemp continue to be discovered, its use in animal feed for horses and chickens is just the beginning. The versatility of hemp makes it a valuable crop for numerous industries, including textiles, construction, and bioplastics. It is a sustainable crop that can be grown with minimal water and pesticides, making it an eco-friendly alternative to other crops. With the recent approval of hempseed oil and hempseed meal for horses and chickens, the future of hemp looks brighter than ever before.

Clay Moore is an Undergraduate Researcher | Hemp Breeding & Genetics

Cannabis Hemp Innovation League | Texas A&M University Chilclub.com/tamu

BY GRACE GONZALEZ

April showers bring May flowers. This lesson in patience and virtue welcomes National SmokeOut Day, which is followed by Earth Day, a celebration of life-sustaining bounty, bringing an abundance of hemp and cannabis. Throughout history, Hemp has been used for a variety of purposes, including in the production of paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, fuel, and food. The plant’s fibers are strong and durable, making it a popular choice for clothing and rope.

Hemp is a versatile plant that is widely used for many practical uses and has been cultivated for thousands of years for its fibers, seeds, and oils and is a strain of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for its industrial uses. Unlike marijuana, hemp contains trace amounts of the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); not used for recreational purposes. Research suggests, according to the Guardian US, that hemp is twice as effective as trees at absorbing and locking up carbon, with 2.5 acres of hemp reckoned to absorb 8 to 22 tons of CO2 a year, more than any woodland.

The CO2 is also permanently fixed in the hemp fibers, which can go on to be used for many commodities including textiles, medicines, insulation for buildings, and concrete.

Other notable uses for hemp include the production of CBD oil. CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive compound found in hemp that is known to have numerous health benefits, including helping to reduce anxiety, improving sleep, and reducing pain and inflammation just to name a few. Hemp is also used in construction as a source of building materials and the fibers can be used to produce insulation, panels, and bio composites, which are environmentally friendly and have excellent thermal properties.

Other uses include using hemp as a rotation crop to improve soil health and control weeds and adds diversity to reverse the effects of erosion and soil com - paction. The deep roots of hemp plants are known to help to break up compacted soil, allowing for better moisture and nutrient absorption. In addition to its many uses, hemp is a sustainable and environmentally friendly crop and can be used to create biodegradable plastics and other materials that are less harmful to the environment. Hemp is also highly efficient at absorbing and locking up carbon and may play a key tool in helping to win the battle against climate change that is slowly affecting our planet. Cultivating hemp can further prevent deforestation and can easily replace trees as a source of raw material for paper and wood. At least one acre of hemp can produce as much paper on an annual basis.

Hemp is an incredibly valuable plant that is growing in popularity with its versatile and unique benefits. As durable as it is, hemp is likely to play a vital role in helping to meet the needs of this changing world and serves to be the superior option for supporting our ecosystem for generations to come.